Envelope



July I, 1924.-

1,500,074 .G. R. HILL ENVELOPE Filed Jan. 28, 193

ATTORNEY WITNESS:

Patented July 1, 1924,

GEORGE R. HILL, OF MICHIGAN CITY, INDIANA.

ENVELOPE.

Application filed January 28, 1922,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE R. HILL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Michigan City, in the county of Laporte and State of Indiana, have invented new and useful Improvements in Envelopes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to stationery, particularly to envelopes, and has for its object the provision of an envelope of novel construction which is so constructed that it may be sealed by means of sealing wax or even by means of a rubber stamp, a series of free-hand marks or other marking device in such a way that any tampering with any of the flaps of the envelope will be readily detectible, the sealing being accomplished by one application instead of a multiple at different points on the envelope, such as is now necessary.

An important object is the provision of an envelope of this character in which the main or base flap extends beneath the ends of the side flaps, the side flaps being formed with openings over which extend an opening formed in the closure flap, all of these openings permitting the application of a daub of sealing wax or the imprint from a rubber stamp or the like which will insure that all of the flaps will be affected by whatever sealing device is used so that any tampering with any flap will be readily visible, it being however to be noted that any one of the four flaps may be the base flap and any one of the remaining flaps may be the closing flap.

An additional object is the provision of an envelope of this character which will be very simple and inexpensive in manufacture, highly efficient in use, positive in action, and a general improvement in the art.

With the above and other objects and advantages in view, the invention consists in the details of construction to be hereinafter more fully described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a blank from which the envelope is formed;

Figure 2 is an elevation of the rear side of the envelope with the two side flaps folded upon the base or main flap and the closure flap being open or in unsealed position, and

Figure 3 is a rear view of the envelope showing the closure flap as sealed down.

Serial No. 532,411.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, I have shown my envelope as comprising a front'panel 10, at one edge of which is formed the main or base flap 11 andat the opposite sides of which are formed the side flaps 12 which are designed to be secured upon the outer face of the base fiap 11 when the latter is folded against the front panel 10. Also formed upon the front panel, at the side opposite that provided wit-h the fiap 11 is the closure flap 13 which has the upper edge of its underside coated with mucilage as indicated at 1& whereby it may be brought down and sealed onto the flaps 12 when the latter are applied to and secured to the base flap 11.

In carrying out my invent-ion the meeting ends of the side flaps 12 are formed with cutout portions 14, which may be semicircular, as shown, or of any other shape and the end portion of the closure flap 13 is formed with a semi-circular cutout portion 15 which is designed to overlie the upper portion of the cutout portion 14; when the envelope is sealed.

In th construction of the envelope, assuming that the blank has been formed as above described, the base flap 11 is folded to lie against the rear side of the front panel and the side flaps 12 are folded in a similar manner whereupon their free ends will be disposed in edge to edge relation with the base flap exposed through the cutout portions 141:. When the closure flap 13 is subsequently folded down and stuck onto the side flaps 12, the cutout portion 15 in the closure flap will overlie the portion of the cutout portions 14 in the side flaps 12. lVhen it is desired to seal the envelope a daub of sealing wax or the like may be placed upon the end of the closure flap and will of course pass through the cutout portion 15 therein and adhere to the uncutaway ends of the side flaps 12 and also to the'base flap 11 which is exposed through the cutout portions 14. In case sealing wax is not used a rubber stamp may be employed for producing an imprint upon all of the flaps the various cutout portions permitting this action. It will therefore be obvious that in case there is any attempted tampering with any of the flaps of the envelope, the same will be readily detected in an obvious manner. In this way it will be seen that I have provided an envelope which is practically tamperproof or which if tampered with will close the fact at once so that proper steps may be taken to ascertain the wrongdoer.

lVhile I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of the invention, it is of course to be understood that I reserve the right to make such changes in the form, construction and arrangement of parts as will not depart from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention I claim:

1. An envelope having a front panel to which is secured a plurality of flaps, some of which are provided with apertures, the apertures in on of said flaps adapted to register with only portions of the remaining apertures, thereby leaving uncovered portions of said remaining apertures.

2. An envelope having a front panel to which is secured a plurality of flaps, some of which are provided with openings and two of which are substantially abutting, said openings defining relatively narrow portions with the edges of said flaps, said portions being so arranged as to expose portions of all the flaps through the openings when in closed position.

8. An envelope comprising a front panel, a bottom flap, a sealing flap and two end flaps secured thereto, said sealing flap and end flaps having openings therein, the opening in the sealing'flap registering with a portion only of each of the openings in the end flaps and the remaining portions of the openings in the end flaps being exposed beyond the edge of the sealing flap.

n testimony whereof I affix my si ature.

GEORGE R. ILL. 

